Fronted by 21 year old triple threat vocalist, songwriter and guitar player, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones boasts a resume that can be hard to match for most multi-decade musicians. With over 2,500 shows under their belt, three completed albums and festival appearances at Peach Music Festival, Firefly Music Festival and Kaaboo Del Mar, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones are on their way to becoming Rock & Roll’s next marquee act.

Formed in 2006, by a then eight year old Wicklund, the band has come along way from playing Janis Joplin and Neil Young covers. Between then and now, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones have been billed alongside legacy acts such as Jefferson Starship, Kansas and The Marshall Tucker Band. Fast forward to now, one year after the 2018 release of their 10 track self titled album, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones has amassed over 2.5mm streams on their most recent project and have been billed alongside current and legendary chart topping mainstays such as X Ambassadors, Cage the Elephant, Tom Petty, Alanis Morissette and Muse.

Although Hannah’s roaring guitar riffs on her custom Tom Anderson guitar and orange amp set the tone for The Steppin Stones performances, it’s her vocal range and well-beyond-her-years songwriting that have led to the success of their latest release, helping to propel them to a regular mainstay festival act. Hannah’s musical vision stays close to her classic rock roots, but in no way is a classic rock tribute. Their music is a refreshing focus on raw and organic emotions in a time of digitally driven recordings and performances.

2019 is poised to be a momentous year for the blossoming power trio on the road and in the studio. Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones are supporting the Stone Temple Pilots, joining Peter Frampton and Joe Bonamassa on a Mediterranean cruise and bringing the heat at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta, GA to kick off their summer headline tour across the United States. Throughout the year, Hannah will be working on intimate, authentic and stripped down tracks about embracing and learning from the darker sides of life in addition to a new full band record. Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones will leave their fans feeling inspired and connected in a way they haven’t felt in a long time.

Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones Official Website

Soul Renegade, the first full-length album from guitarist/singer/songwriter Ken Valdez in nearly a decade. It takes the roadmap of the blues, crumples it up into a ball and unfurls it so the genre’s musical capitals all flow together seamlessly into one musical metropolis. From the Hill Country to Chicago, from the Delta down to Texas and every place between and far-flung, Valdez’s explosive fretwork coupled with his sweet, snarling vocals make for a treat for sounds of every corner of the blues world and beyond.

Valdez has been referred to as the “Best Kept Secret” By many in the music industry virtually since he burst onto the scene in the early 2000’s. The Santa Fe, NM born and bred guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer, who now calls Minneapolis home, has been turning heads for a decade and a half with versatility, raw talent and a true grit that impart a genuine realness into each of his songs. Collaborations with the likes of Doyle Bramhall II and Jonny Lang ensued (among many) and an invitation to join Mick Fleetwood’s band helped the Best Kept Secret’s reputation grow. He had become a household name of sorts within inner circles of recording studios and in the blues music community. A decade that saw thousands of shows and a literally millions of road miles was capped off in 2010 as Valdez and his band spent most of that year opening shows for the likes of artists Robin Trower and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. When he finally got off the road, production offers started rolling in and he found himself working almost continuously in the studio and behind the mixing console for three solid years with a wide range of artists from all sides of the musical spectrum. All along Ken kept honing his skills and writing chops, gradually amassing a treasure trove of material while working with artists and producers like Alana Davis, Jellybean Johnson, Andy Byrd, Jerry Wonda and Paul Pesco to name a few.

After longtime friend and crew Delta Blues icon T-Model Ford took ill in 2012, forcing them off the road and effectively ending his career, Ken recorded Jack Daniel Time, a 5-song tribute EP to the legend whose entire profits went directly to T’s family; The album was released just before T’s death. Recording the EP reawakened the desire to record his own records and get back out on the road. “It’s time” he says. “I love the road and that’s just it! There is no substitute for actually going out there and doing it!” When he speaks about his new album, it’s hard for him to contain his excitement. “This record is the culmination of my past and my present. It also focuses on my future; from Santa Fe to Minneapolis and beyond. Not only is my band on it but I’ve got people like Chris Duarte, Eric Gales, Doyle Bramhall II, Curtis Salgado and even some of Prince’s NPG playing and even writing with me. I cannot be happier with the way Soul Renegade turned out!”

Ken Valdez Official Website

Music 8-10pm

Make a reservation at AsterCafe.com to reserve your seat for the show.
$10 cover charge will be added to your tab.